1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nge2 a6 6. Ng3 O-O 7. Be2 c5 8. d5 b5 From a King's Indian we will obtain a Benko Gambit type position. 9. cxb5 axb5 10. Bxb5 Qb6 Serper has been in this position before and possibly Christiansen had studied this before the game 10... Ba6 11. O-O Bxb5 12. Nxb5 Ne8 13. Qc2 Na6 14. Ne2 Nec7 15. Nbc3 Qd7 16. b3 Nb4 17. Qb1 f5 18. a3 Nba6 19. Ra2 Rab8 20. Rb2 Nb5 21. Qd3 Nac7 22. Rb1 Nxc3 23. Nxc3 fxe4 24. Nxe4 Rf5 25. Nc3 Bxc3 26. Qxc3 Nxd5 27. Qc4 e6 28. Bd2 Nc7 29. b4 Qa4 30. Qd3 Rd5 31. Qc3 Nb5 32. Qf6 Rxd2 33. Qxe6+ Kg7 34. Qe7+ Kg8 35. Qe6+ Kg7 1/2-1/2 Serper,G-Smirin,I/Philadelphia 1996 11. O-O Ba6 12. a4 Nbd7 This move is the real novelty as the following game reached the same position, although the prior moves were transposed. As you can see, another previous US Champion has been here before 12... Bxb5 13. Nxb5 Na6 14. Bd2 Nc7 15. Nxc7 Qxc7 16. Qc2 Nd7 17. Ra3 Rfb8 18. Rb1 Qa7 19. Nf1 Bd4 20. Bc3 Ne5 21. Nd2 Bxc3 22. Qxc3 Rb4 23. b3 Rab8 1/2-1/2 Graf,A-Yermolinsky,A/Sverdlovsk 1987 13. Rb1 Rfc8 14. Bd2 Bxb5 15. Nxb5 Qa6 16. b3 c4! Breaking up the queenside pawns. This position is equal, with chances for both sides. 17. bxc4 Qxa4 If 17... Rxc4 18. a5 may be annoying, so Black takes the a-pawn first. 18. Rb4 Qxd1 19. Rxd1 Ne5 20. Bf4 Nfd7 21. Nd4 Rxc4 22. Rxc4 Nxc4 23. Nc6 Kf8 24. Bg5 f6 25. Bf4 Nc5 26. h4 h5 27. f3 Kf7 28. Nf1 Ne5 29. Nxe5+ fxe5 30. Be3 Nb3 31. Nd2 Nxd2 32. Rxd2 Bf6 33. Bg5 Christiansen turned down a draw at this stage as he looked at the other games in progress and felt that maybe board 4 was not looking too good and so he carried on playing. It would be hard for either player to win this, even if they needed to! 33... Ra1+ 34. Kh2 Rf1 35. Ra2 Bg7 36. Ra7 Bf6 37. Rb7 Rd1 38. Rb8 Rf1 39. Bh6 Bg7 40. Bg5 Bf6 41. Ra8 Bg7 42. Ra3 Bf6 43. Ra7 Rb1 44. Kg3 Rh1 45. Bxf6 Kxf6 46. Ra8 Kf7 47. Rh8 Kg7 48. Rb8 Kf7 49. Rb7 Kf6 50. Ra7 Kf7 51. Ra2 Kf6 52. Ra7 Kf7 53. Rb7 Kf6 54. Ra7 1/2-1/2